In the third chapter of Convergence Culture, Jenkins explains core concepts involved with the evolution of media production and convergence by using the example of The Matrix franchise. “The Matrix is entertainment for the age of media convergence, integrating multiple texts to create a narrative so large that it cannot be contained within a single medium” (97). This alternative way of creating a production or story across multiple levels of media significantly changes the audience’s approach to media production.
With a comparison to the cult following of the classical film, Casablanca, Jenkins describes why The Matrix is a groundbreaking creation. In this new cultural movement towards convergence with a more participatory audience, The Matrix is the first of its kind to successfully draw an emotional response and attachment from its subsequent audience, as Casablanca impacted its audience by changing the way people perceive and judge films. “If Casablanca exemplifies the classical cult movie, one might see The Matrix as emblematic of the cult movie in convergence culture” (100).
As seen in the example of The Matrix, this new convergence culture changes the dynamics of audience reception to media production. Now, not only do audiences become more participatory by their own will, but producers are demanding them to become more involved in many levels of their franchise in order to get more meaning and fulfillment from their production. Jenkins explains, “No film franchise has ever made such demands on its consumers…To truly appreciate what we are watching, we have to do our homework” (96). This new level of producer expectation puts more emphasis on the role of the audience member than ever before. “’What audiences make of Revolutions will depend on the amount of energy they put into it. The script is full of cul-de-sacs and secret passageways.” Viewers get even more out of the experience if they compare notes and share resources than if they try to go it alone” (97). This way of production fits the description of a concept called transmedia storytelling, which, “unfolds across multiple media platforms, with each new text making a distinctive and valuable contribution to the whole” (97-98). The idea of using multiple channels to tell a story seems very exciting and engaging for both media producers and consumers, but there is question about the coherency of this kind of production.
At what point can a story stay coherent with so many variables contributing to it? In order to avoid inaccuracies and contradictions within the narrative, media producers have practiced the concept of co-creation, where, “the [different media] companies collaborate from the beginning to create content they know plays well in each of their sectors, allowing each medium to generate new experiences for the consumer and expand points of entry into the franchise” (107). This idea seems like a good plan to entertain audiences and build consumer loyalty, but it also seems like a good plan to get as much money as possible from a single production- a goal that would probably result in narrative slip-ups.
I would think that demanding the audience to search for answers on too many technological levels would make the narrative too complicated and diluted to form a legitimate story that makes sense. I guess that is why the Wachowski brothers are so vague when interviewed about hidden messages in their movies, because so many interpretations would inevitably collide or contradict each other, resulting in the demise of the story.
I definitely agree with you that adding so many different variables dilutes not only the coherency of the the film (or whatever else) but the quality of the narrative. Media production companies are stretching themselves too thin just to participate in media convergence. I also agree that requiring the audience to search out the answers in all these different media forums is going to result in no one being able to make sense of the story.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you can completely dismiss their vagueness as avoiding slip-ups or contradictions in their story line. I want to give them, more or less, the benefit of the doubt. Because The Matrix utilizes co-creation and stems from so many outlets, it provides consumers with different outlets of entertainment and various means of interpretation. Perhaps their vague responses are for the benefit of the consumers. It allows us to draw our own conclusions and interpretations, which only makes the story more interesting and fun. It is almost like fan-fic, allowing consumers to essentially write in their own version of parts of the story, further generating more and more interest.
ReplyDeleteAnd there is nothing wrong with co-creation for the sake of making money. Money does make the world go round :-)